Renoir Runs Away
by Ex Mentis
Summary: Part of the 'Love After Love' universe, but VERY loosely. Rook Renoir Tennyson doesn't appreciate being grounded, so to make his family suffer, he decides to run away! Hilarity ensues as Ben and Rook hasten to bring their son home. BRoken (Rook/Ben), slash, M/M.


**Here is another TV show crossover with my BRoken universe. This one is a crossover with The New Addams Family episode "Wednesday Runs Away". bbb35 and I thank you for your continued support of our weirdness!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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**-Renoir Runs Away-**

It was 9:45pm when 13 year old Rook Renoir Tennyson got back home, carrying a small empty cage in his right hand. Sitting on the steps of the Rook-Tennyson home were Ren's twin sister Rook Bianca Tennyson (also 13), and their cousin Ergho (15 years old). Behind him, police sirens were echoing in the night. Ren looked behind him quickly before looking back at his sister and cousin with a dark smirk before tossing the cage into some nearby shrubs before plopping down between the two on the steps.

"I still can't believe you unleashed all 20 baby aliens into the sewer," Bianca said to her brother in astonishment.

"Correction," Ren replied, smirk still in place, "twenty STARVING baby aliens."

Ergho giggled and said, "Better hope Uncle Ben and Uncle Blonko don't find out. They'll kill you."

Ren's smirk widened as his gaze bore into Ergho. "Which is why you'll have to take full responsibility for my actions."

Before either Bianca or Ergho could respond, a squad of cop cars pulled up, and the three scrambled to hide. Bianca and Ergho went for the door, while Ren snuck off the patio and down into a shrub, dodging the small spot light they were now shining. Eventually, he made his way around the back and entered through the green house.

Ren quietly entered the living room, and saw the butler, Khyber, reading a book, and mumbling what sounded like cheesy pick-up lines. Rolling his eyes, he smirked at how silly Khyber was being...Albedo wasn't ever going to give him the time of day unless Khyber strapped him down to a medical exam table, and showed off his impressive knife collection...cut by agonizing cut!

Ren side-stepped to a particular bookcase and pulled back on a hidden lever, causing the the bookcase to lift up. This was Ren's secret passage to his room.

Upon entering his room, though, he noticed to large lumps in his bed that did not belong. He frowned, striding over to his bed, and yanked off the blankets. Immediately, his papa and father (in his Feedback form) sat up and looked at Ren unashamedly. Feedback was holding his right hand up, and was discharging a bit of electricity, creating an orb of energy which illuminated the whole room.

"Busted," Ren growled.

_**-AFB10-**_

Ren was in serious trouble, his Papa was pacing around him angrily, hands folded behind his back as he gave Ren a disappointed shake of the head. His father had turned back into his human form, sporting a purple t-shirt with a white skill on the front, black cameo pants and a black eyeball bracelet's on his wrist. The only other decoration he wore was a gorgeous gold chain necklace, which had various crystal of Emerald and amber. The same color as Ben and Rook's eyes. Papa was in his Night-Time clothes, a loose baggy blood red shirt and matching pants.

"Renoir, if we've told you 'ONCE' we've told you a 'THOUSAND' times. YOU CAN NOT PUT SAVAGE, DESTRUCTIVE BABY ALIENS INTO THE SEWERS!," Rook scolded his son as he stopped his pacing to face him. "It's cruel to the aliens!"

Ren was in for it now. His Papa had used contractions, and Rook Blonko had always prided himself on his grammar skills, thou he allowed Ren, Bianca and Ben to be lax about it when alone in the House.

"Those poor dears," Ben sighed sadly at the idea of the poor hungry bug-lizards, even if they WERE the natural predator of one of his transformations.

"How would you feel if Uncle Argit or Bianca flushed your pet terroranchula down the sewer?" Rook asked his son, ceasing his pacing to stand next to his mate and place a disapproving stare on Ren.

"I'd like to see them try to get near Homer," Ren scoffed condescendingly.

"This isn't a joke, Renoir!" Rook snapped.

Ren jumped in alarm and glanced at his father in hopes of leniency, but was surprised to receive a stern frown as well.

"Your papa is right, Ren. Right now those bug-lizards are cold, wet and hungry..." Ben's eyes lit up and he turned to Rook, smiling at his idea. "Babe, we should send them a care package, so they won't be hungry."

Rook smiled proudly, "Khyber is already seeing to that, Beloved."

Ren looked to the side as Khyber walked by him, holding several Pomeranians in his arm as he set off to feed them to the bug-lizards. Ren then turned his cautious gaze to his parents, who briefly glanced at each other, before nodding in silent agreement.

"I'm sorry, Renoir," Rook growled out in a huff, planting himself in a scorpion shaped chair, "but you're grounded for a week."

"A week?! No, Papa, you can't! I have a burial planned!" Ren argued in his defense.

"You should've thought about that BEFORE," Rook scolded his child.

"And while you're grounded, you're not allowed to play with your weapons, or Homer, or start any fires, or torture your sister and cousins," Ben chimed in with his own authoritative parenting.

Ren couldn't believe what he was hearing, it couldn't be true, and yet it was the truth. So, the only thing Ren could do was cross his arms, narrow his pupils as his parents, and hiss at them while stomping in anger.

"SADISTS!" Ren screamed at his parents before storming off to his room.

Rook rose from his seat and shouted after his petulant child, "And just for that little outburst, you're not going to Revonnah for the Harvest Festival this Year!"

Ben scurried over to his huffing and growling hubby, patting him on the shoulders to calm him down.

Rook settled a little, taking Ben's hand in his to squeeze affectionately before planting a kiss on the back of his Heart's Flame's hand.

"I fear we spoiled that child too much," Rook sighed in exasperation.

"Babe, don't you think barring him from seeing his grandparents was a little harsh?" Ben cooed, trying to appeal to his husband's softer side.

"He has to learn responsibility, Beloved. And to see the consequences of his actions," Rook told his mate.

"True. But Brallah and Da barely see the children as it is," Ben tried to reason, but was silenced when Rook raised his hand to cup Ben's cheek and kissed him on the lips.

"Beloved, it will be fine. I will talk it over with his teachers and get him out of School for two months to visit them AFTER the Harvest is over," Rook said, nuzzling Ben's cheek as he did. He then pushed back and said, "You worry to much, he'll be fine."

_**-AF/B10-**_

Ren was now in his room, packing his bags. But every time he tried to put something in his bag, either his sister or cousin would pull it out.

"But you can't run away from home!" Bianca said as she unpacked a home-made, hand-held de-atomizer from Ren's bag.

"Oh, no?" Ren challenged. "Watch me."

"But who will tie me up and blow-torch my feet?" Bianca whined as she sat down, giving up on deterring her brother. However, Ergho was harder to deter.

"And who will brand me with my favorite poker?" he asked, pulling out said poker and waving it in front of Ren.

Ren grabbed the poker and tossed it back in the furnace. "I've been spoiling you long enough," he said, "now you're on your own."

"Will you at least tie us both up once more before you go?" Bianca asked as she grabbed onto a rope dangling from the ceiling. "Please?"

Ren simply remained silent and continued to pack. Once he was finished he glared at his sister and cousin and growled, "Don't tell THEM I've left. Understood?"

"Okay," Bianca and Ergho replied in unison.

Ren then walked up to the large window in his room, pushed back the shutters, and stepped onto the threshold.

"We'll miss you, Renoir," Ergho said.

"I'll miss you both, too," Ren replied before leaping off.

Bianca and Ergho sighed before laying down on the floor right next to each other with ones head bound by the others feet. Ergho then gave the rope still in his hand a tug, and the two watched as a large metal circle with sharp knives covering the bottom dropped down before stopping a hair's breath before them.

Bianca sighed and said, "It's just not the same without Ren."

"You want me to torture you?" Ergho asked.

"Nah. You're not cold-blooded enough," Bianca replied.

_**-AF/B10-**_

The next day at the local Bellwood Police Department, everyone was hustling, bustling, and scrambling about. It appeared a certain 'incident' was requiring ALL available officers to report in and assist.

One infamous LT. Steel was just such an officer, with over 50 million solved cases and successful arrests. There was no doubt in the others minds that when he showed up for work, the dilemma would be solved in no time.

"Detective Steel..." said officer answered his phone while polishing off his gun at his desk. "Calm down. The police and Providence have already sent out a crew to retrieve the Buglizards."

At that moment, several Providence agents struggled into the station, holing large cages that shook and emitted out loud snarls and hisses. The agents didn't look good either, with various injuries and tears in their outfits.

"I'm sorry about your dog spunky," Steel gave his condolences and hung up.

Meanwhile, a Florauna of bright vivid green sat at the desk closest to Det. Steel. The Florauna was tall and had wide-set shoulders, but a slim musculature, and was wearing a hippie style outfit with a peace sign on it, and a vest that appeared to be made out of brown grass.

This was Pax, former alien rights activist, and now subordinate to Det. Steel. Unlike common Florauna, Pax appeared to have four vine-legs instead of five, and he used them to emulate having two legs. He had various vine growths on his body resembling long hair and whiskers, and seeds on his head while others of his kind had them on there backs.

"Uh-huh. And your sure of that?" Pax inquired to the person on the other end of the phone. But he frowned at what the person said next.

"Trust me, we know where THEY live, man." Pax hung up and turn to Lt. Steel. "Neighbor called Will Harrangue claims to have seen the Rook-Tennyson boy climbing out of

a sewer last night. No doubt HE'S responsible for the Buglizards! Man, that's just not right!" Pax shook his head in outrage. "Putting those poor starving little fellows down there like that."

"Pax, get over your animal rights passion and think like a cop!" Steel shouted, pounding his fist onto his desk. "Strange stuff is ALWAYS happening at the Rook-Tennyson place, and I INTEND TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT!"

Pax gulped in trepidation, as he said, "I don't know why, man. But, like, I have this AWFUL feeling someones gonna get mulched!"

Det. Steel had packed a duffel bag with his equipment, and jumped over to Pax to slap him on the back of the head. "Let's go!"

The two then headed out of the office.

_**-AF/B10-**_

The only decoration in the yard was a large fountain in the center of the yard, but no one threw coins into it, or watered the plants with the water in it, for the water was actually acid!

Hanging from a tree was Bianca, dangling inside of a gray net, which caused her to hover in the air, swaying side to side lonesomely.

Off to the side, digging at the base of a tree, was a giant humanoid porcupine/opossum creature. He was tall, and muscled like Ergho, and even looked like a older version of him. He wore a black T-shirt with an orange/brown jacket and blue jeans. He had big yellow eyes and black quills for hair.

A long tail trailed out behind him as he forced a shovel into the dirt, scooping out the clumps over and over again.

His name was Argit, First Mate of Ester, leader of the Kraaho tribe.

And, in fact, was Ergho's Father, and uncle to Bianca and Renoir.

Dubbed 'The Fun Uncle' over uncle Cooper, who was the more mature and sensible in comparison to Argit who was an ex-con who'd caused NOTHING but problems, until he met and fell for Ester.

He lived in the Mansion alongside Ben Tennyson, Rook Blonko, Vanessa, Grandpa Max, and various other members of the Rook-Tennyson family. And at the moment, he was looking for one such member now.

"Grandpa Argost isn't here either," Argit scratched the top of his head in a frustrated manner. "Wish I could remember where I buried him."

"Come on, Uncle Argit, light a fire under me..." Bianca whined from her spot in the net. "Renoir would..."

Argit shook his head as he picked up the shovel he was using and set off to look elsewhere, passing Bianca briefly to tug her net and shake it.

"Can't, kiddo. I got to find my Grandpa Argost and give him his medication. Why not have Ergho do it for you?" Argit asked, then his face scrunched up in confusion. "Come to think of it...where IS Renoir? Normally he would LEAP at a chance to have you dangling in the air helpless and vulnerable."

"Aunt V, had him go help her spear tree-frogs in the swamp for their poison and Ren is..." Bianca trailed off, trying to think of a excuse without giving herself away. "Ren is busy with his studies."

"Hmm. Some studies then," Argit muttered to himself. "Well, If I can find Grandpa Argost without taking too long, I'll come back and barbecue you, 'kay, Princess?"

"Okay..." Bianca sighed. Her uncle had tried to placate her, but she knew it'd be forever before he found Grandpa Argost, who happened to move his grave on his own at times.

At the same time, at the main gat to the Rook-Tennyson estate, a young Incursean woman, the mail lady, came tip-toeing up to the mailbox. Her eyes were trained on the foreboding mansion the whole time, and a permanent look of fear and uncertainty adorned her face. She'd made the mistake of messing with this family, and now she was paying the price for it, serving as a federal servant of Earth instead of princess of her people!

Eying the mailbox with equal parts trepidation and disgust, Attea slowly reached out and grabbed the handle before yanking it down slowly and leaping back a bit, covering her face with her arm as she did. Seeing no immediate threat to her life...or dignity...she then slipped the mail into the box before leaping back again.

Sighing in relief that nothing was going to get her today, Attea nearly jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She lept back a bit before taking a slow deep breath as she took in the detective and deputy.

"Is there a problem?" Detective Steel asked.

"Yes..." Attea huffed. "Yes there is." Attea then broke out into a relieved grin and asked, "Hey...hey are you gonna arrest the Rook-Tennyson's? Lock them up and throw away the key?"

"Hey, chick, calm down," Pax said placatingly. "This is official police business. No can do on the whole telling you what we're hear for."

"Oh, yeah," Attea said in understanding before all three realized that the package in the young woman's bag was ticking.

"IT'S A BOMB!" Attea screamed before tossing it to Pax, who tossed it back to Attea. Over and over, the two played out a game of 'Hot Potato' before Det. Steel caught the box and examined the address it was from.

"Tickety-Tock Clocks," he read before slipping it in the mail box and closing the door. He then twitched his head to the side, motioning Pax to follow him, as he made his way to the entrance gate.

Attea simply stood there, listening to the ticking of the box. The sound grated on her nerves, as memories of the past horrors she'd experienced at the hands of this demented family. Eventually, she just ran off screaming.

Pax jumped at Attea's screams, but Det. Steel elbowed him in the side of the arm, which was just as hard as his name-sake.

"Get over it. The woman is obviously under stress and can't take it," Steel's eyes scoped out the area as they made way to the Mansion.

"Dig this, boss-Steel!" Pax stated, pointing over toward the dangling figure of Bianca in her net, looking glum and depressed.

"Hold on kid!" Steel called out as they jogged over to the tree.

Pax stood in front of the dangling Bianca and attempted a brave face to keep her from worrying, as Steel pulled out a hunting knife to cut through the rope suspending her up into the air.

"Don't worry, Flower-Blossom, we'll get you out of here in no time," Pax said in a placating tone with a smile on his face.

The net dropped and Bianca fell to the ground, Pax helping her out of the tangled mess with Steel slicing her free, but instead of gratitude from the little blue furry girl, the two officers got outrage and irritation.

"You okay?" Steel coolly asked, examining his appearance in the reflection of the knife.

"My new net!" Bianca picked up the chopped up mess of her net, lower lip quivering in warning of incoming tears. "It's ruined! My papa got me this for my birthday!"

"Chill out, Sister-Frownie. This net may seem like a toy, but it's, like, very dangerous! You dig?"

"You could strangle yourself," Steel said as he put his knife into it's holster.

"Really?" The two officers startled when she blinked away the tears and a wide smile erupted over her furry face. "Can you show me how?"

The two officers stared at each other briefly, Pax scratching his tubers in befuddlement of the young Alien Girls strange behavior.

"Hey!" Bianca beamed pointing at Pax excitedly. "You're a Wildvine!"

"Uhhh...come again?" Pax asked confused.

"A Wildvine! It's an alien my daddy can turn into with his watch!" Bianca said, assuming her explanation cleared it up.

"Uhhh..." Steel rolled his eyes. "I'm a Florauna little dudette, is your Dad one too?"

"Oh, he's that...and an Appoplexian, an Arburian Pelarota, a Tetramand, a Petrosapien and about a Billion other things."

Steel gave Bianca a wary glance, this girl was waaaaaay off, and a tad of an imbecile. But he thought it best to humor her for now.

"Hey, that's great, cupcake," Steel crouched to rest on his knee and clapped his hand on Bianca's shoulder. "What's your name? Mine's Det. Steel, and this here is Pax."

"Sup, Blue Violet?" Pax said, holding up two fingers in peace symbol.

"Could you perhaps take us to your parents?" Steel asked.

"Sure. You should be able to see them now," Bianca said before she headed off toward the Mansion, and the officers followed. "Dad and papa just got finished with their nooner...What ever that means."

The Two officers gave each other a disturbed look.

"That's the SAME expression my Aunt, Grandpa Max and Cousin make whenever I ask!"

_**-AF/B10-**_

Back inside the house, Ben and Khyber were working together on waxing the two steps just off the front door of the mansion.

"Thanks for helping me out around the house today, Khyber," Ben said.

"You're welcome," Khyber replied with a small smile. "It is my duty as your butler, though."

"That may be, but you're family, and it's best to ask someone for help, rather than order it," Ben replied. He then ran his hand along the surface of the steps and said, "Good work! Nice and slippery!"

At that moment, the doorbell, or foghorn, rather, sounded throughout the house. Someone was at the door! Khyber got up off his hands and knees and went to the door to answer it. Opening the door revealed Det. Steel and Deputy Pax. They two officers both were caught off guard by Khyber...he was quite an imposing figure, even though he tried to always wear a smile on his face. Ben had always told him it made him look genuine and welcoming.

"Police officers, sir," Steel said to Khyber. "We wish to speak to Mr.'s Rook Tennyson."

"I will need to see your badges, please," Khyber said. The residents of this household were too precious to him to let just anyone through the mansion's threshold. They might say they were cops, but he wouldn't let them in until he saw proof!

Det. Steel and Deputy Pax looked at each other in surprise, caught off guard yet again by this imposing giant, before digging through their pockets and showing their badges as the butler had asked.

Khyber narrowed his eyes before snatching Pax's badge. Pax made to get it back, crying out indignantly as he did, but Khyber didn't relent. Instead, he whistled.

All of a sudden, a purplish-black canine of some kind came bounding up behind Khyber. Khyber turned to the canine and said, "Good girl," as he handed the badge to her. The dog sniffed it and sneezed before walking off at a sedate pace.

Khyber handed the badge back to Pax before standing aside to let them through. The two officers walked in, not even wanting to know what that had been about. In the foyer, the saw Rook Ben Tennyson standing there, looking bemused as he had seen the whole thing go down.

"Sorry about that," Ben said. "Khyber's a bit overprotective. He means well, he's just a very loyal and protective man. He's like the big brother I never had."

Khyber smiled at the comment, but said nothing in return. Indeed, he would do anything to protect Ben Tennyson.

Pax took in the tool belt around Ben's waist and asked, "So, Ben-Dude, house repairs?"

Ben smiled and replied, "Yep! The cellar stairs were a bit sturdy, so I loosened up a bit before my Beloved's great aunt went down them."

At that very moment, the voice of an older woman cried out in surprise before a crash sounded, followed by the angered scream of, "BENJAMIN!"

Steel frowned and said, "What was that?" in a suspicious tone.

"Nothing from Earth," Ben replied sweetly. "That was just my Husband's _ma'jun_ his people's word for 'nanny', 'bodyguard', and 'godmother'. My children call her Great Aunt V, or Aunt V. I call her the Harpy of Screams."

"You know she hates it when you call her that, Master Tennyson" Khyber advised as he tried to hide an amused grin. Vanessa had raised him as his foster mother after a terrible accident had robbed him of all memory. That said, she could be overbearing, as well as inappropriate, to her 'children'.

"No she doesn't," Ben replied.

Khyber's look of amusement only grew as he shot back, "You only say that because she's most likely in a heap at the bottom of the cellar stairs."

Steel sighed, having little to no patience for these inside jokes amongst family. "Mister Tennyson...er...Rook Ben," he said, trying to steer the conversation back to the reason they were here.

"Just Mr. Tennyson. My family always refers to my husband as 'Rook', even though that's our family name," Ben explained to the slightly flustered detective. "And his first name is Blonko, but Mr. Rook will do for him."

"Well, we have to discuss a VERY important matter with the BOTH of you," Steel replied.

Ben's face changed from a welcoming smile to a serious look of concern, and his eyebrows furrowed as he began to pace. "It sounds serious," Ben remarked.

"Totally, Ben-Dude," Pax replied, earning a glare of reprimand from Steel for being informal. Pax squirmed, but shrugged it off.

"PERFECT!" Ben beamed with a bright grin. "That worried and anxious look on your faces will brighten Rook's day. He's worried that our son is mad at him for us grounding him."

"Your son?" Steel asked.

"Yep! Rook Renoir Carl Tennyson," Ben explained. "He has my face and his papa's eyes...and when he was just a little boy, he had his papa's tail!"

"We, uh, met your lovely daughter," Pax said, unsure of how to tell Ben she had been dangling from a net.

"Yes. My little cobra," Ben said, beaming with pride. "They're our miracle babies, Bi-Bi and Ren. Fraternal twins! So far, the only children we'll ever have..." Ben then lowered his head in a downcast manner, but brightened up quickly as he added. "But we keep trying!"

Steel and Pax hazarded a glance at each other, before smiling in an indulging way, worried to make a remark that might offend the obviously disturbed Ben Tennyson.

"Come," Ben said, "my husband is in the living room. Follow me!"

_**-AFB10-**_

"Checkmate," Rook stated victoriously.

"What?" Albedo cried out, starring at the board incredulously. "Impossible! I had my rook in the perfect post!"

And now MY bishop moved in, making room for MY rook to move in," Rook Blonko replied in a teasing tone. "Checkmate."

Grrragh!" Albedo screamed in frustration as he flipped over the chess board.

Rook frowned, reprimanding the Galvan-turned-human as he said, "Albedo, shame on you! What would _ma'jun_ say if she saw you do such a thing?" Rook then shook his head in disappointment and added, "Very unsporting."

"Baaah! Stupid child's game..." Albedo said, deciding to sulk.

Rook narrowed his eyes and said, "You are 16 AGAIN, Albedo. You ARE technically a child," reminding him of the one fact of this universe that tortured Albedo endlessly.

"And YOU'RE technically a giant pussy!" Albedo spat in anger, referring to Rook's feline qualities.

"Must I bring _ma'jun_ into this?" Rook threatened with a glower. "Do I have to serve you a reminder of when she punished you for saying the 'F' word in front of her?"

Albedo pouted and crossed his arms as he replied petulantly, "Those starving weasels weren't THAT bad..."

At that moment, Ben entered the living room with Steel and Pax trailing behind him. "Rook-Babe," Ben said to his husband, "we have company. Apparently, the police wish to speak to us, and it's an old friend of ours."

"Old friend?" Detective Steel asked.

"Well, we met once before, detective, when I was but 10 years old" Ben said with a sweet smile. "Or should I say, former Lt. Steel of the Special Alien Containment Team. I was saddened to hear they kicked you out after that terrible fiasco with my ex atop the Golden Gate bridge."

Steel's eyes widened as he recognized the young man standing before him, and they only grew bigger when he processed the word 'ex'. "That mutant freak?! You dated him?" Steel asked incredulously.

"Sure," Ben replied with an unrepentant shrug. "I was swayed by his dashing good looks." Ben then turned downtrodden once more as he said, "But he turned out not to be the man I wanted. And he was only toying with mine and my cousin's hearts. And if I ever meet him again..." Ben's head then tilted up to stare down Steel and Pax with a disturbing, homicidal grin and glare. "...He's dead!"

"Oooookay..." There was an awkward pause as Rook stood up to go comfort his husband.

"So, like, where's the little dude?" Pax asked.

"Little dude?" Rook drawled out in confusion.

Steel frowned as he clarified, "I believe my subordinate means your son. Renoir?"

"Oh! Khyber?" Ben called out.

Everyone turned to see Khyber looming over Albedo who was leaning his back against a bookcase, looking disinterested as he flipped through a book. One of Khyber's arms was supporting him against the bookcase, an inch above Albedo's head. He was attempting to appear suave and sultry, and was attempting to use the pick-up lines he'd found in his book from earlier that day. However, when he heard Ben call for him, he turned away, giving an apologetic glance to Albedo. As Khyber walked over to Ben, his back turned to Albedo, Albedo blushed and smiled ever so slightly; he was actually quite flattered by the approaches of the hunter-turned-butler.

"Would you go get Ren for us please?" Ben asked, trying not to giggle at the display he'd just seen.

At once, Master Tennyson," Khyber replied, before taking the long way out of the living room, which coincidentally intercepted Albedo. And as he approached the young man, Khyber snuck a pinch on Albedo's bun before trotting off with a satisfied grin while Albedo blushed furiously a cursed a storm.

The officers took in the sight with perplection while Ben and Rook simply giggled.

"My apologies about the bug-lizards," Rook spoke up after he had regained control of himself. "As I had a feeling you would come inquiring about them sooner or later."

"Your apologies fall flat, sir," Steel gritted out with a frown. How dare this man think that he could simply apologize in the place of his son, much less just apologize at all! Great damage had been done, and these Rook-Tennyson's were going to pay!

"Yeah, Man!" Pax added, flailing his arms a bit in excitement. "The town's in an uproar!"

"We're talking reckless endangerment, maybe even MANSLAUGHTER!" Steel bellowed.

Ben gasped in alarm and said, "Don't tell me one of the little critters were hurt!?"

"I would like to make restitution for ANY damages my son may have caused," Rook said as he began pulling out wads of cash from his pocketbook.

"Mr. Rook, you cannot bribe your way out of this!" Steel bellowed, even more outraged by the gall of the man.

"Strange," Rook replied as he tilted his head slightly, in a look of puzzlement, "I was not aware of a change in policy."

Detective Steel took a sharp inhale of breath before saying, "Mr.'s Rook and Tennyson, has your son ever been in trouble with the law before?" It was a silly question, really; the detective had pulled up the boy's sheet before coming here. It was quite disturbing, actually, how frequently the boy tended to cause an uproar with his antics.

"Why of course!" Ben answered with a smile, "once or twice a month, at least! He's such a spirited boy, get's bored so easily. All he wants to do is share his chaotic vision of perdition with the rest of the world!"

As Ben talked, Pax chose to take a seat, but in doing so activated a spinning wall. He spun rapidly in his seat for a dozen or so revolutions before jumping out and falling into a nearby suit of armor...which then decided to raise it's fists of it's own volition and began to box with Pax.

"Hey, man!" Pax said as he ducked and weaved, "I'm a lover, not a fighter!"

"I'm afraid telling him that will do you no good," Rook said with a smirk.

At that moment, Khyber ran in looking very alarmed and concerned. "Renoir is gone!" he said.

Ben and Rook looked to Khyber with astonishment. "What do you mean gone?!" Ben cried.

Khyber bowed his head and replied, "Forgive me, Master Tennyson. It seems young Master Renoir has run away."

Ben looked to Rook with fear. "Babe, WE did this! We were too hard on him and he saw no other recourse but to run away!"

"No, I'm sure that's not the case," Rook said as he shook his head. "The boy is just acting out because he's upset. More than likely he's at one of his old haunts waiting for the smoke to clear." Rook then looked to Khyber and commanded, "Start up the car, I'll be along shortly. We are going to find our son!"

As Detective Steel and Officer Pax followed after the parents, with Khyber in tow, they began to search out the house, asking various family members, and living appliances, to keep an eye out for Renoir.

Soon, they came down to the basement which was Ren's SECOND favorite hang-out spot, which was occupied by Vanessa Masters, Argit, Ester and their son.

As Ergho was working on sharpening the spikes on a bed of nails, and Ester hosed down the open Iron Maiden, Vanessa was strapped to a large knife-throwing board. Her long black hair was pulled out, braided, and nailed to the board with spikes. Her hands were chained too, to prevent any squirming.

"How much you say you want off?" Argit asked, pulling out a quill from the back of his neck as he did.

"Oh, just a little off the top," Vanessa answered. "We can get the split ends later."

Pax saw what Argit was about to do and, worried about the safety of the woman chained to the board, tackled Argit as he threw the quill. As a result, the quill missed it's target and nearly impaled itself upon Vanessa's face.

"Hey, Man! What do you think your doing!?" Pax shouted incredulously as he stood up.

"He's giving me a hair-cut. What does it look like, Salad-Face?" Vanessa snapped in annoyance.

"But..." Pax trailed off as Argit threw another quill, this one severing the braid hung above Vanessa's head.

"Ha!" Argit cried out as he pulled out two quills at once, and hurled them to cut off the two remaining braids.

"Ahh!" Vanessa sighed in relief before pulling her hands out of the cuffs and running up to high-five Argit.

"Marvelous!" Vanessa commented enthusiastically as she conjured a compact mirror to examine Argit's handy-work. "It looks fantastic, Argit. Just for that, I won't try to kill you in your sleep tonight."

"Good," Ester chimed in with an annoyed expression. "Maybe I'll get a full nights sleep and not wake up to his struggles when you smother him in his sleep."

"Yeah, love that you're so concerned when you lean over to snap, '_By the Prothean's, Vanessa, go back to your room!_' " Argit said sarcastically. "REALLY appreciate it."

As Argit and Vanessa squabbled, Ergho went over to the electric chair as Ester tried to break the two apart. Steel and Pax's eyes widened slightly at seeing Ester's arms extend several feet.

"Uhh...Mr. Rook," Steel paused as he turned to face Rook, but looked back at Ester in disbelief, before facing Rook again. "Mr. Rook, do you mind if we look around?"

"Go right ahead," Rook nodded his consent. "Forgive the mess, Khyber hasn't gotten down here to put up the new cobwebs."

"Uh-uh..." Steel nodded in fake agreement, before he and Pax started glancing around the room.

The basement was stocked full of various torture devices and cages, as well as a furnace, and a large glass container with several Megawatts' inside of it, which were buzzing power through the whole mansion, as well as various other dangerous objects.

They looked down at one table which had a blowtorch, a can of gasoline, an iron boot clamp, a large drill, and a mouse trap with cheese on it.

"Hmmm..." Pax looked curious and reached toward the trap, Steel nudged it away with a firm shake of his head.

"Don't touch that!" Steel stage whispered at Pax. "It might be evidence!"

Ergho was soon being helped by his Uncle Ben, who strapped him into his electric chair, while questioning if he knew where Renoir was to be located.

"Sorry, Uncle B. But Ren didn't tell me, he just leaped out of the window and that was the last I or Bianca saw of him," Ergho explained sadly.

"Hmm," Ben hem-hawed in displeasure. "And since he's part cat, he most likely landed on his feet and didn't crawl away with a broken leg or two."

Ben turned to frown, with a devastated look on his face, which made Rook rush over to wrap his arms around Ben's shoulders.

"Oh, Babe, he could be anywhere if he wasn't crippled by the fall!" Ben wailed, burying his face into Rook's chest, beginning to sob terribly.

"There, there, Beloved," Rook soothed, patting Ben on the top of his head.

"You know, for once," Ben's muffled voice spoke from Rook's chest, "I'm not annoyed at you for 'There-There-ing' me."

"Mr. Tennyson," Steel called out, still standing with Pax by the table, "this place is a death trap!"

Ben cracked a small smile, as he was still worried about his son, and replied, "Thank you."

"I hope you don't let your children down here," Steel continued with narrowed eyes.

Rook smiled and answered, "Only after they've completed their homework."

Steel and Pax then focused in on Ergho who was now completely strapped in to the electric chair.

"Man, that electric chair almost looks real!" Pax said with equal parts fear and appreciation.

"It is real!" Ergho replied, just as Vanessa flipped the switch. When she did, a large portion of the electrical energy being generated by the Megawatts' was siphoned to the chair, causing Ergho to jerk about rapidly, and his quills to stand on end.

"Best way to keep those quills clean!" Vanessa crowed, "Fry off the dirt and old chitin bits! Leaves the quills shiny and sharp!"

Steel's and Pax's eyes went wide at the display and stepped back. Pax, unfortunately, got his hand caught in the mousetrap on the table, and silently moaned in pain.

Afterwards, they moved on outside to the cemetery, which happened to be Renoir's number one favorite hang-out spot. When Steel questioned why they hadn't come here first, Ben merely replied that that would have been much too obvious.

And so they wandered around for a bit, calling out her name, when Rook suggested that they try the sarcophagus, it was quite suffocating after all. Ben pulled out a stethoscope and listened, but heard nothing.

Steel, meanwhile, found a headless doll which, from the neck down, resembled the boy...at least, he thought it might. "It looks like there was a struggle!" he said.

Rook looked up and chuckled. "No, that's his Justin Bieber doll!"

"You mean it comes like this?" Steel asked in disgust.

"Of course not!" Ben answered with a chuckle, "half the fun is beheading and castrating the doll yourself."

Next, they decided to ask Bianca if she knew where Ren had gone. As they walked down the hallway, a flock of bats appeared.

Pax breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Oh man, glad that those are vampire bats!"

Ben giggled and replied, "Don't be absurd! Vampire bats are much too high-maintenance. Oh no, these are vegetarian bats!"

Pax screamed as the flock swarmed around him, biting out chunks of him that quickly regenerated.

By the time Pax entered Renoir's and Bianca's bedroom, the poor Vegie-man was unable to stop shaking, and had gone quite pale; the pain and the fearful experience linked to it had him all jittery.

"He's like the town after Cousin Andreas pays a visit," Ben pointed out to Rook as he and Detective Steel entered the bedroom.

Various items decorated the room, posters of Eminem, dolls hanging by their necks from the ceiling, chains dangling down from the corners, and a hungry growling from under Bianca's bed, which was a four-poster Castle-esque one, with blood red for the pillows, sheets, blankets and curtains. Her bed had "Little Vampire Mona and the Count" dolls on it, while on her nightstand was a green, glass shade lamp, which had a large scaly foot for the base. A large Terroranchula scurried in a large glass cage on the dresser a ways from Bianca's bed. It tapped on the glass and leered at the Officers when they entered, like it had just seen it's dinner.

Renoir's side of the room was no less unsettling.

His bed appeared to have a torture rack crank on the head and foot of the bed, with straps to tie to his feet and arms when in bed. He had the petrified body of a Ecotonurite hanging in the corner of the ceiling above his bed, with a stuffed Astrodactyl acting as his bedside lamp.

Other than the cobwebs, the bed appeared normal, minus for the large dragon design on the black comforter draped across it.

As Pax and Steel glanced about the room nervously, staring at the glowing blue and green orbs floating in the glass spheres suspended in the stone mouths of gargoyles on the walls, a large iron gate slid down into the doorway, as if to trap them in the bedroom.

"Are we in a Torture Room!?" Steel blurted out in shock.

"How sweet of you to say, Detective," Ben gushed, "but this is merely the twins' room."

"Of course," Steel said, nodding in weary acceptance.

As the adults looked around the room, they finally noticed Bianca, as she was crouched low to pull up a large club and toss it onto her bed. Off to the side, Steel noticed a guillotine with a basket full of severed 'Super Star' doll parts.

As Steel examined it with trepidation, Bianca scrounged under her bed again, finally pulling out a wire hanger and skipping over to a light bulb in it's socket-lamp. She straightened out the wire and wrapped one end around the bulb and pulled out the rest. She then began to rummage through a pile of cables before pulling one out while pulling out a small generator from below her bed as well.

"Nice guillotine," Steel chuckled in slightly hysterical laughter. "Let me guess, birthday present?"

"Easter," Ben answered, as he and Rook scuttled over to Bianca as Steel checked his five-o'clock shadow in the reflection of the guillotine's blade.

"Look, Little Blueberry, we need to ask you some questions..." Pax started toward Bianca, reaching out his hand in placating manner, but Bianca coolly place the exposed end of the cable into his hand.

"Hold this, please," Bianca asked.

"Huh?" Pax looked confused at the cable.

"Bi-Bi, Little One," Rook and Ben crooned softly at their little Princess. "We need you to tell us where your Brother is."

"He might be in serious trouble," Rook advised his daughter with a serious expression.

"Naw. He just ran away from home," Bianca sadly informed her parents.

Looks of twin shock and horror exploded over Ben and Rook's faces at hearing Bianca's answer.

"RUN AWAY FROM HOME!?" the parents echoed each other in their disbelief.

"Bi-Bi, why didn't you tell us this earlier?!" Ben asked in a stunned tone.

"He made me promise not to...plus, he left you both a note," Bianca said, as she handed the note to her Papa, who accepted it with shaking hands as Bianca grabbed the other end of the cable Pax was holding, and headed over to the generator to plug it in, even though, it wasn't switched on...YET.

"YYYYAAAAAAAAGGGGGH!"

Pax screamed in agony as over 90 million volts coursed through his body, filling the room with the smell of brunt veggies, and the sound of painful screams.

But Ben and Rook were more preoccupied by the letter in their hands.

'**Dear Dad and Papa, I hate you, Love Renoir. Don't bother looking for me, I am nowhere.'**

"Oh, Rook! He hates us!" Ben cried out in agony.

Rook shook his head. "No, it's me he's angry with; I was the one who grounded him."

"We must find him and bring him back...all alone in the world, without family to turn to..." Ben dabbed at his eyes with the corner of his shirt sleeve before walking over and turning off the switch, and ceasing Pax's torment.

Minutes later, Rook and Ben were giving Steel and Pax a detailed description of their boy, as well as handing them a photograph, as the two policemen made to leave the house.

"He wears his hair in a tri-row shaved mohawk, like his father, and has the most innocent blood-red-rimmed orange eyes with sickle-shaped pupils," Ben crooned, "and likes to carry a Proto-Tool."

"So you'll be on the look-out for her?" Rook asked.

"Of course," Steel said.

"And you'll call us as soon as you hear anything?" Ben asked.

"You better believe it," Steel answered.

Once the two men were outside the house, Steel looked off into the distance, his mind thinking at a hundred miles a minute. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked.

"Yeah, man, let's get outta here!" Pax answered.

Steel grabbed Pax by his shirt collar and forced Pax to look him in the eye as he said, "What we have here is a clear case of child endangerment; no wonder that young man ran away from home!"

"Speaking of which," Pax cut in, "can we?"

"No!" Steel hissed. "We are going to call Child Services. We'll get those kids placed in foster homes before they go COMPLETELY insane!" The detective then summarily dragged his partner back to the car.

_**-AFB10-**_

Meanwhile, at the police station, Renoir was being dragged in by another detective, who brought him before her superior, Detective Cannon.

"Well, well, Detective Lacey," Cannon said, "and who do we have here?"

"Rook Renoir Tennyson," Lacey answered. "I brought him in from Undertown; he was worrying all the mercenaries, thugs, and cut-throats."

Cannon chuckled and asked, "Now, how could this little guy be bothering those thugs?"

Renoir only starred murderously at the detective as he began to examine the toolbox he had carried with him.

"What's in here?" the detective asked, still chuckling, "G.I. Joe dolls?"

"Action figures," Renoir cut in gruffly. "I would prefer that you refer to them as action figures."

Detective cannon only grinned wider before examining the toolbox's contents. The first item he pulled out was Renoir's Proto-Tool.

"Planning on enlisting with the Plumber's?" Cannon asked with equal parts amusement and concern.

"Are you mad?!" Renoir exclaimed. "With their pacifistic behavior, such a weapon would go to waste!"

Cannon and Lacey shared a surprised look before cannon dove back into the toolbox and pulling out what appeared to be a large pair of scissors with fangs. "What is this?" Cannon asked incredulously.

"Why, that's a head-cracker," Renoir answered casually. "Before crushing someone's skull, be sure to put down some newspaper so that you don't stain the carpet, even though red is such a pretty color."

Cannon twitched and growled, "Now look, kid, I've taken down tougher criminals twice your age! You don't scare me!"

Renoir simply rose a single eyebrow in amused defiance as cannon grabbed yet another item from the toolbox: a small, 10-sided polyhedral box. "And what's in here? A terroranchula?!"

"No, that is the Anihilaarg!" Renoir said, drawing out the 'ar' sound as he did.

"The Anihi-whatta?" detective Cannon asked, confused.

"The Anihilaarg," Renoir explained, yet again drawing out the 'ar' sound, "an extremely powerful and dangerous weapon capable of wiping the universe from existence."

Cannon chuckled in a mad, desperate way as he said, incredulously, "But that's impossible! You're just pulling my leg to scare me!"

Renoir's grin drew darker still as he replied, "Are you so sure? It happened once before, or so I've been told. Two idiot hicks thought to use the Anihilaarg, and were it not for my dad transforming into Alien X and recreating it, none of us would be here today. But go ahead, if you don't believe me. Open the box and activate the Anihilaarg; I'm sure my dad can recreate us all once more. Or are you afraid?"

Cannon's first instinct was to do just that, but given the risk of actually having the entire universe wiped from the face of time and space, it stood to reason that erring on the side of caution was best. So, Cannon gulped and gently put the Anihilaarg back in the toolbox before barking at Lacey to take Renoir to the juvenile holding cell.

"I can't wait," Renoir replied with a smirk as he was dragged away by Lacey.

Escorted down the hallway by Officer Lacey, Renoir gave a tired glance toward the juvenile cell, filled with various teen thugs, truants, and vandals; the types with torn clothes, mean sneers, loose clothing with holes, and metal chains dangling from either the clothes or their faces.

"You've got company, boys," Lacey stated as another guard opened the cell and directed Renoir inside.

Renoir's entrance was noticed by a young boy in the corner. He wore a dark gray short-sleeved hoodie, a black long-sleeved shirt, black pants, black and white shoes, and a bandage around his right leg. He glanced up, face obscured as he had his hood up, but his bright shining blue eyes were fixated on Ren.

The teen delinquents eyed Ren like wolves would a lamb straying from the herd, and crowded around him with toothy grins.

"This is going to be fun," The leader hissed in a evilly pleased way.

"Leave him alone, Butch" A voice piped up.

The boy in the corner stood up to an intimidating 6'3"; tall for his age of 14. He pulled back his hoodie to reveal his face. He had long black hair pulled back in a straight ponytail, and the sides of his head were shaved. He had dark blue eyes and pale skin.

"Nobody asked you FREAK-BOY!" the leader, a blond in a black fishnet and sliced up jeans, snapped, pushing Ren against the bars as he did.

"So why don't you just wallow in your loser-corner, Levin?"

The boy frowned and started to walk forward, his body slowly shifting, growing, and expanding. His skin shifted into patches of fur, scales, jade-skewed diamond, and magma as extra arms sprouted. As the other boys chocked back screams of horror, Ren's eyes widened but not with fear, as an ACTUAL smile burst across his lips.

The other thugs stumbled backwards, as the mutant grabbed Butch, pulling him away from Ren, and leaned his face in close.

"Would you, perhaps, want your face to look TWICE as ugly as mine?" the mutant boy growled, breathing his repugnant breath into Butch's face.

"...N-no-noooooo!" Butch wailed.

"Good," the beast snorted, dropping Butch, who scrambled over to the corner to hide in fear...and cover the growing wet spot in his pants.

"You okay?" the beast asked, shifting back into his human form.

"You're lucky you interrupted when you did," Ren told the interesting boy. "A few more minutes and someone would've been severally hurt."

"Like I would've let that happen to you, kid," the boy retorted as he crossed his arms.

"I was talking about Butch," Ren responded with a dark smirk. The other boy raised his eyebrows in intrigue.

"Name's Devlin...Devlin Levin." He held out his hand, and Ren shook it. He didn't even put a spike in his hand first.

"Rook Renoir Carl Tennyson...but my family calls me 'Ren.'"

"What about friends?" Devlin asked.

"Don't have any...yet." Ren smiled at Devlin, who grinned back happily.

"You're alright, Ren," Devlin replied, elbowing him playfully in the side. "So, just how would things have gone for Butch and his lackeys had I not intervened?" He asked with a devilish grin.

Renoir matched Devlin's grin and replied, "Why don't I show you?"

_**-AFB10-**_

In the main foyer of Rook-Tennyson manor, Ester, Ergho, Vanessa, Rook, and Ben worried and fretted. Ester sat in a chair, soothingly rubbing Ergho's quills as Vanessa floated a few feet above the floor, glide-pacing back and forth as Ben and Rook came down the stairs.

"Oh, Blonko!" Vanessa landed on her feet with a thump, before scurrying over to wrap her arms around Rook's, squeezing his bicep in an affectionate, comforting gesture.

Ben just kept walking on forward, too lost in his own sorrow.

"Has there been any news?" Vanessa asked her godson.

"No, _ma'jun_, I'm afraid not..." Rook answered back sadly.

"Rook, you're using contractions!" Ester pointed out in alarm at Rook's show of deep, passionate emotion.

"Yes, I'm just so worried..." Rook answered, his head bowed in shame at his lapse in grammar.

"Don't worry, _swee'ja_." Vanessa cooed, "I'm sure wherever he is, Renoir is JUST fine."

Rook nodded, but when he looked toward his Beloved, his eyes widened in surprise at seeing his Heart's Flame...times two!

"Beloved, you're beside yourself!" Rook's words were true, as Ben had turned into Ditto, and split himself into two copies.

The two aliens glanced at each other and shrugged in agreement, saying, "He's right!" The two quickly melded back together, before a beep, and a flash left the human form of Rook Ben Tennyson in their place.

"There, much better..." Ben breathed a sigh of relief.

"Beloved, you mustn't..." Rook paused to take a deep breath, shutting his eyes briefly. "Must NOT let yourself become so saddened. Renoir will be found and brought safely back home."

At his words, the phone rang. Ester lept out of her chair, sending her son flying, and lept for the phone at the same time Ben did. As a result, the two collided in mid-air before falling into a lump of flailing, and in Ester's case elongating, limbs, each one fumbling for the phone's receiver.

"Hello? Hello? Hello?!" they both called into the receiver before Rook strode over and took it from them, ignoring how they then proceeded to slap each other.

"Hello?" Rook asked. "Officer Cannon? I see, we'll be right there!" Rook then hung up and turned to the two on the floor, still untangling themselves. "That was the police!" Rook exclaimed as he helped pull them apart. "Renoir's at the station, safe and sound!"

"My baby!" Ben cried out in happiness. "Let's go!"

"I'm going too," Vanessa said as she began climbing the stairs, "I'll go get Bianca."

"I wanna come too!" Ergho cried out in excitement.

"No," Rook said, "you two must stay here with my daughter and Argit. You know how my darling Bi-Bi gets when she see's a man in uniform. And Argit is wanted in six star-systems for extortion, money laundrying, and cereal homicide."

"No one else could grasp his vision of hair style," Ester said, commiserating for her husband.

Vanessa sighed, but acquiesced saying, "You have a point."

_**-AFB10-**_

Once at the police station, Rook, Ben, and Ester made a bee-line for detective Cannon's desk.

"Detective Cannon," Ben gushed, "thank you so much for founding my baby-boy! I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

"Oh, no," Cannon replied sarcastically, "no trouble at all. I mean, what's bringing in a doomsday device into a small office?!"

Ben sighed relief and said, "Oh good, I'm so glad everything is alright!"

Before anything else could be said, though, a terrified scream sounded through the station, coming from the juvenile cell.

"CANNON!" detective Lacey cried as she ran up to her superior, "WE'VE GOT A MAJOR PROBLEM IN JUVENILE HOLDING!"

Cannon's eyes went wide, fearing the worst, and took after Lacey, while Rook and Ben followed at a sedate pace; it sounded like Renoir was making friends already!

Inside the cell, the various thugs and truants were cowering in fear on one side, some bruised, some scratched, and some even burnt! They huddled together in horror at the sight on the other end of the cell.

Butch was being restrained by a mutated Devlin who held him down, by holding his hands and feet, clutched together in his one giant diamond hand. The poor thug was laying on his stomach on the bench, as his legs and arms were twisted over and up behind him, as Devlin kept him from wiggling, a large black sock crammed into his mouth to muffle his screams of terror and pleading for mercy.

Renoir casually strolled around Devlin and Butch, a dark and delighted smile on his face, as Devlin glanced up at Renoir. The two exchanged a look of understanding and instant fellowship forming between them without a word. Devlin nodding, with an impressed smile at Ren.

"And now, my captive audience," Ren mocked the other boys, cracking his knuckles as he rounded the front of Butch, "to demonstrate the 'Mandarin Death-Grip'; hold him steady, Devlin." Renoir advised his new friend. "The death spasms can become a hassle."

"Sure thing, Ren," Devlin growled in his distorted voice.

But at that moment, the door to the juvenile wing opened, and everyone flooded through, with the various boys rushing forward, screaming and pleading to be let out and promising to go straight.

"We'll stop high-jacking cars!" one boy sobbed, as the cell door was unlocked by Officer Lacey. The boys ran out as fast as they could run, leaving the door open, granting Ben and Rook sight of their lost and sorely missed child.

"I'm impressed, my son," Rook said as he and Ben stepped through the cell's threshold, "you did an exceptional job tying those knots."

Ben smiled and clutched at his heart as he said, "And look! He used his favorite socks as a gag; he must really like this young man." Ben looked to his husband and said teasingly, "Could it be that our boy has found his _un vrai amour_?"

Rook looked to Ben with a lustful gaze as he said, "Don't. You know what that does to me, _cara mia_!"

Detective's Cannon and Steel could only watch disgust as Cannon said, "Still wanna subject a foster home to _these_ kids?!"

"Dude," Devlin said as her reverted back to his human form, "your parents are like creepy sweet to each other." He then grinned and said, "I like it. It's way better than having to listen to a drunk douche and a drugged-up bitch scream at each other."

Renoir rolled his eyes, but smiled none the less. Deciding to let Butch be for the moment, he turned to his parents and said, "Papa, dad, this is Devlin. He was only too eager to help me _play_ with the other boys."

"So we saw," Rook said, stepping forward to ruffle Devlin's hair affectionately. "I take it your home-life is not acceptable?"

Devlin frowned and replied, "A jail cell is preferable. What does that tell you?"

"That you belong with us," Ben said resolutely, with a smile. "We have more than enough room at our manor, and Rook and I so adore children. I would have another, but the pains of labor just don't affect me like they used to; it's all just a great bore now."

"So what do you say?" Rook asked. "Join our family? Become a Rook-Tennyson?"

Devlin was flabbergasted! These strangers were offering him a home! He looked to his new best friend and found an encouraging grin, though still dark and eerie. Grinning, Devlin replied, "Yes! I'd love to!"

As the sappy little joining of a new Rook-Tennyson commenced in the next room, Ergho arrived to see what was happening with his Bro/Cousin.

The alien mutt then took notice of a mean, somber, and dark looking girl, Eska, who was chained to her chair and looked around with a blank expression. But Ergho could see a storm of hatred and revenge brewing in her eyes.

"I think I'm in love!" Ergho gushed to himself.

The family stepped out into the Police Department, as Ergho was striding up to Eska's side.

"Check out Ergho. Always the ladies man!" Ren chuckled, as he looked to Devlin. Gesturing to Ergho, he explained, "My Cousin."

"Ohhh..."

Ergho leaned over Eska with a suave swagger, and caused his quills to spike up in a way similar to the peacock spreading his tail feathers.

"Sup?" Ergho purred. Eska looked away with a sigh of boredom.

"Would the Lady care for a Grenade?" Ergho flirted, pulling out a grenade and plopping it into her hand.

"Mmmm," Eska hummed in interest as she pulled the pin out with her teeth, spitting it out and throwing it onto Pax's desk.

"HEY! WHAT THE-"

BOOOOM!

The explosion rocked the entire station, splattering pieces of the desk, and poor Pax all over the place. The Rook-Tennyson's chuckled in amusement as they watched Eska, freed from her chains, planting a heavy kiss on Ergho's lips.

Pax's head reformed from what was left.

"MAAAAAAAN, I QUIT!"

_**-AFB10-**_

Back at the manor, Renoir had enlisted Devlin's aid in tying up Bianca and Ergho to a post. Bianca had taken quite well to her new 'brother', and even made a comment to the effect that he could tie her up anywhere...even a bed. Devlin had only grinned his horrifying grin whilst in his mutant form and growled lowly as he tied the knot which would hold Bianca to the post.

"I'll take you up on that offer...'sister'," he purred.

"Yeeeeah. Not demented at all," Ren scoffed sarcastically.

"Better keep an eye on those two," Vanessa warned, as she put a plate of coco-beetles between Ben and Rook to snack on as they sat in a stone coffin; the two watching their children play with the new addition to the family in the backyard, which was also the cemetery.

"Now, where were we?" Ren asked before turning to a nearby table, which was adorned with several torture instruments. "Ah yes! Hot poker, ice picks, bamboo shoots, tweezers..."

"We've missed you," Ergho said with a grin, eager to feel the glorious pain only his bro and cousin could offer him, and intrigued at what new sensations Devlin could make him and Bianca feel.

"I missed you too," Ren cooed as he used the tweezer on Ergho's ear.

"AHHHHHH!"

Ben smiled at the scream of pain Ren ripped out of Ergho. "So nice to have Ren home again," Ben cooed as he cuddled closer to Rook.

"I know, Beloved," Rook replied, snacking on a Coco-Beetle. "I was starting to miss Ergho and Bianca's screams of pain."

"And better yet, Devlin seems to be right at home tormenting them both," Ben added, as he beamed happily. "And you know what they say, 'the Family that Plays together, stays together.'"

"A little magma?" Devlin asked darkly, before goosing Bianca's butt with his molten hand.

"OOOOOH!" Bianca squealed in surprise, and agony.

"RAAAOOUGH!" Ben screeched out.

Rook had laid back, but shot straight up, his eyes fastened on Ben with surprise and eager anticipation. "Beloved, was that your Astrodactyl mating cry?!" Rook asked in heated excitement.

"_Oui, mon chere_," Ben retorted, biting his lip coyly.

"Hmm. you ALWAYS know just what to do to set off my FERAL SIDE!" Rook growled as he wrapped his arms around Ben.

The two kissed passionately, the lid of the stone coffin slowly closing on top of them, before Ben released one final loud screech.

"RAAAOOUGH!"

**-END-**


End file.
